Simplest Explanation

At Atlas Obscura, Jessica Leigh Hester writes about a peculiar breed of bat that doesn't seem to age.

Species in the Myotis genus of bats have cells that don't age the way normal cells do. As she describes, when cells divide the telomere caps on the ends of their chromosomes shrink. As we age, we lose the ability to replenish the material that makes up telomeres and they get smaller. It's one of the factors that leads to other aspects of aging as well.

But for Myotis, the telomeres don't shrink. So even though they are small animals -- the largest genus in the species weighs about as much as a golf ball -- they live quite awhile. It's not unusual to see Myotis bats old enough to drink, which inverts the usual pattern of nature that has little things live short times and big things live longer times.

They're not immortal, of course. As you might imagine, they are on the menu for a number of larger predators and they, like every animal, are subject to the illnesses and death that can come from dehydration and starvation. Scientists are just beginning to study why Myotis telomeres don't shrink like those of other animals, including other bats.

This, of course, shows the ignorance of scientists. They, more than anyone, should know that if there is a species of bat that seems never to age it's because IT DRINKS THE BLOOD OF THE LIVING TO SLAKE ITS SATANIC THIRST. I'm really very surprised they need this explained to them.